DANNY WILSON admits he is as frustrated as anyone with the inconsistency affecting his side’s performances this season.

Pools slipped to a home defeat last night, when a basic goalkeeping error from Jan Budtz in the closing stages proved costly as Northampton won 1-0.

The defeat leaves Pools lurching on the edge of the relegation scrap, but Wilson knows his side missed another good opportunity to make some headway in League One.

After three successive home victories, scoring 11 goals in the process, Pools rarely threatened before being beaten by a sucker punch.

“There’s enough games left to do something this season, but it is whether we can put a run together. That is the biggest question,” said Wilson.

“We are winning one, losing one, drawing one. That type of sequence is not good enough.

“We have to get some back-to-back wins and this game was a good opportunity for us.

“We just can't seem to get a head of steam up. We get a good away result and you want to build on it with a good home result but you don’t get it. You feel like you are back to square one again.”

Question marks have been asked of Budtz for each of the last four goals Pools have conceded - the keeper was culpable for two Port Vale strikes from distance and Cheltenham’s goal against Pools last Saturday.

Last night he was on the end of some vicious abuse from the crowd after his elementary error.

“It was disappointing to lose in the manner we did,” added Wilson. “Jan was disappointed with the goal. The game had 0-0 written all over it, we weren’t going to lose it and equally we weren’t going to win it either.

“It was a lapse of concentration on Jan’s part which cost us, but I have to say we didn’t force many saves out of their keeper apart from right at the end.

“But mistakes like that have been happening to us all season and we have to stop them.”

Pools started well, with Sweeney twice surging into the penalty area from the right flank.

On each occasion, however, he couldn’t find the space needed to get in a shot and was crowded out.

Pools started well, playing with some tempo and verve as they attacked the Town End, but Northampton were equally quick and dangerous on the attack, with wing-backs Crowe and Holt prominent.

Holt went closest to scoring in the first half when he curled a low shot inches wide from distance.

Pools were unable to break down a strong and organised visiting back four and Lee, making his home debut after arriving back to the club on loan from Doncaster, saw a shot blocked before Porter suffered a similar fate.

Barker intelligently stepped over a pass which allowed Humphreys to burst forward on the left, with his progress halted as Pools earned a corner.

Thompson made his last appearance for Pools before returning to Leeds after a month-long loan spell. The dead ball specialist curled over the left wing corner, which disappointingly sailed outside the penalty area.

Nelson returned it and Barker saw his shot scrambled away by a packed defence.

Thompson then shot over the crossbar from distance in the first 45 minutes and created a rare chance in the second half, playing in Richard Barker who was unable to get enough power on his shot to test the keeper.

A low Humphreys ball was dummied by Porter for Barker but the pass was ahead of him and the pace took it through to keeper to collect.

At the other end the burly Akinfenwa held off Nelson, turned but sent a tame bobble shot at Budtz.

Half-time: Hartlepool United 0 Northampton Town 0.

Pools earned a corner only seven seconds into the second half from a misplaced back header which ran out of play. Thompson took it, but didn’t land the ball on his target and it was cleared.

The Cobblers were again swift on the counter attack and Akinfenwa played the ball into the advancing Gilligan who dragged a low shot wide.

Some intelligent covering defending from Lee averted danger on the hour mark when a low ball from right side by Hubertz was slid away from danger by the loan recruit.

Pools made three second half substitutions to try and break through, and one of the changes - Foley tricked his way through two defenders before upended by the impressive Gyepes.

The free-kick was crossed in by Humphreys and Nelson, on his 200th Football League appearance for the club turned on the edge of the area and his volley was tipped over by Bunn.

But on 83 minutes came the decisive moment.

Visiting substitute COKE had only been on the pitch five minutes when he ran unchallenged and shot low and tamely at goal.

Budtz should have saved, but went to ground late and the ball bounced into the net.

Deep into injury time and Porter turned and shot low at goal only for Bunn to make a vital stop to send Pools to defeat.